1 files changed, 10 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/nixpkgs/pkgs/development/libraries/libmodbus/default.nix b/nixpkgs/pkgs/development/libraries/libmodbus/default.nix
index 10bd7af7fadd..d1ee30698a09 100644
--- a/nixpkgs/pkgs/development/libraries/libmodbus/default.nix
+++ b/nixpkgs/pkgs/development/libraries/libmodbus/default.nix
@@ -8,6 +8,16 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     sha256 = "0drnil8bzd4n4qb0wv3ilm9zvypxvwmzd65w96d6kfm7x6q65j68";
   };
 
+  configureFlags = [
+    # when cross-compiling we assume that the host system will return a valid
+    # pointer for calls to malloc(0) or realloc(0)
+    # https://www.uclibc.org/FAQ.html#gnu_malloc
+    # https://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf/manual/autoconf.html#index-AC_005fFUNC_005fMALLOC-454
+    # the upstream source should be patched to avoid needing this
+    "ac_cv_func_malloc_0_nonnull=yes"
+    "ac_cv_func_realloc_0_nonnull=yes"
+  ];
+
   meta = with stdenv.lib; {
     description = "Library to send/receive data according to the Modbus protocol";
     homepage = http://libmodbus.org/;